So You've Returned…
by RickyTheGoblinMaster
Summary: Daisy is shocked by the Arrival in The Quest Chamber of Dunsenhelm Castle of apparent Spectral apparitions but Treguard seems to know who they are...


_**So You've Returned…**_

_**By Ricky Temple**_

In the Great Quest chamber of Dunsenhelm Castle Daisy, the young maid, trainee sorceress and new assistant to The Dungeon Master Sir Tregaurd, was busy sweeping and dusting.

She had been tasked by Treguard to make the place ready for a new quest season after the surprise arrival a little while back of a new team of would be champions . "Hopefully" Treguard had said "This means that the path is soon to open fully again once more and if it is I want the next team that comes here not to find this place in such a sorry state as it was for the last team."

And so Daisy had set to work cleaning the hall. She was currently using her broom to remove a rather large cobweb from the fire place when she suddenly felt like she was being watched from behind. She turned around but could see no one there. "Must be my imagination" she said and returned to her work.

"Nasty dust, dirty dust go the way of grit and rust!" she said using her favourite little rhyme for when she was cleaning but before she could speak the next line she heard what sound like a number of faint distant voice's saying it for her.

"_Be gone with filth you'll soon be looking at your best."_ the soft almost ethereal voices said in unison.

Daisy turned around again "Who's there!" she demanded but no one answered and again there was no one in sight. Daisy narrowed her eyes suspiciously "If this is come fairy creature playing a prank on me you better cut it out or I'll magic you to Mount Fear and you can see how funny Lord Fear finds your japes!"

Daisy once more turned her attention back to cleaning but almost as soon as she did so she suddenly felt like she was in a very crowded room and all the eyes of everyone in the room were on her. She swung round and to her shock she caught sight of what looked like a group of spectral figures all looking at her…yet they weren't ghosts they were more ethereal almost like very weak astral projections them seemed to fade in and out and change appearances almost like there was actually more than one person that reach figure was representing. They shimmered with a pale blue light she couldn't make out facial details but she could tell that they where human in origin.

"MASTER TREGUARD!" She yelled out in fright "We've been invaded by….Specters!" She looked back at these odd intruders they made no attempt to attack her…they just watched her.

Just then there was the sound of someone coming down the corridor "Daisy what the hobgoblins is this your yelling about invaders and specters!" Tregaurd said as he came into the chamber.

"Look!" Daisy said pointing at the strange apparitions. Treguard followed her line of sight and he to saw the figures though to Daisy's surprise he didn't seem flustered or spooked by them…in fact he actually seemed rather pleased to see them.

"Oh it's you lot! So you've returned have you? Looking for adventure again no doubt, Well I don't need to tell you you've come to the right place." he said as if welcoming a surprise but welcome guest "You…know these ghosts Master Treguard?" Daisy asked "Oh these aren't ghosts Daisy" Treguard said "These are The Watchers." "The who?"

"The Watcher's Daisy" Tregaurd sighed "They come from the same Home Plane as the Dungeoneers do…except they prefer to be passive and just watch the exploits of out would be adventures. They get a thrill out of it don't you? You armchair adventurers."

Daisy wasn't sure but she thought she heard an embarrassed chuckle emanate from the spectral watchers. "I find them a bit intrusive just standing there watching us…do they really have to be here?" she asked "But of course they do Daisy" Treguard explained "It helps build the magic aura that The Dungeon needs to exist you see." He explained Daisy looked again at The Watchers they seemed benign at least "Well I guess I could get use to them…but why weren't they here when the last team was here?"

"Ahh but they were Daisy" Treguard said "It was just we couldn't see them, they were using a different method of viewing to what they original used to watch but I could sense them. To whom did you think I was addressing some of my comments about parents being so cruel and the magic of the knapsack?" "Don't know" Daisy shrugged "I just thought maybe you had gone gaga and where talking out loud to yourself." Treguard gave her a hard stare before continuing.

"Well if they are creeping back in it is just further proof that The Path is getting ready to re-open and The Greater Game of Luck & Glory is soon to resume." he said to Daisy "So we must make ready for it" he then turned and addressed The Watcher's again "I'm afraid adventure seekers that you've arrived a little too early this time…the path is not yet fully open and there are no quests for you to watch at this point in time…unless of course you passive ones would like to dare the dungeon?"

The Watcher's backed away slightly Tregaurd smiled "No I thought not. But do please keep watching for who knows when the path may open again fully and those who are braver then you may once again traverse the dungeon realms in the name of truth and light for your viewing pleasure."

There was a murmur from The Watchers and again Daisy heard the distant voices saying something.

"_Play we fair…or Fear play foul…we await the allotted hour when The Greater Game retunes"_

They coursed as one before they faded from view.

"What was that all about?" she asked "Oh just something I used to say to them Daisy" Tregaurd said with a slight laugh "I think they just wanted us to know they are still watching…well come on we still have work to get done before a new season begins."

He said and headed back out of the chamber to resume whatever it was he had been doing before the strange arrival had interrupted him. Daisy watched him go then looked back at the spot where The Watcher's had been stood. She smiled slightly "Hurry back soon Watchers" she said with a slightly laugh "This old Dungeon's still got some stories to tell you." She got back to her cleaning work.


End file.
